Standard Lemma guide

refill

noun · verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈɹiː.fɪl/
  • [ˈɹwɪi̯.fɪɫ]
  • [-fɪo̯] l-vocalizing: UK, Australian, New Zealand
  • [-fɪʊ̯] l-vocalizing: UK, Australian, New Zealand
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /ˌɹiːˈfɪl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪl
  • CMU ARPABET: R IY1 F IH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: R IY0 F IH1 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

That which serves to refill or replace something.

An additional helping of food or drink at reduced cost.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Today it is $2 for a coffee, with free refills throughout the day.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

That which serves to refill or replace something.

Refuelling, fuel to refill an empty fuel tank (of a vehicle or machine) or other fuel container.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Tank's empty. We need to go for a refill.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

That which serves to refill or replace something.

A product intended to replace the used contents of a container or the exhausted supply of a device.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • We're cutting back. No new printers or pens, just refills.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

That which serves to refill or replace something.

A repeat of a prescription.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: pharmacy

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

An act or process of refilling.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • capillary refill

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: refilling

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To fill up once again.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Can you refill my cup please? I've finished my coffee.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To repeat a prescription.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: pharmacy

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

a commercial product that refills a container with its appropriate contents

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he got a refill for his ball-point pen
  • he got a refill for his notebook

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: merchandise, ware, product

9

noun

Meaning 9

a prescription drug that is provided again

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he got a refill of his prescription
  • the prescription specified only one refill

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: prescription drug, prescription, prescription medicine, ethical drug

10

verb

Meaning 10

fill something that had previously been emptied

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • refill my glass, please

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: replenish, fill again

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fill, fill up, make full

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re-bor. Middle English re- English re- English fill English refill From re- (“again”) + fill (noun).

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re-bor. Middle English re- English re- English fill English refill From re- (“again”) + fill (verb).

Across languages

Translations

44 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: lisäannos — additional helping
  • Finnish: santsikuppi — additional helping
  • German: Nachschlag — additional helping
  • Icelandic: ábót — additional helping
  • Japanese: お代わり (o-kawari) — additional helping
  • Japanese: リフィル (rifiru) — additional helping
  • Korean: 리필 (ripil) — additional helping
  • Polish: dolewka — additional helping
  • Portuguese: refill — additional helping
  • Russian: доба́вка (dobávka) — additional helping
  • Spanish: refill — additional helping
  • Spanish: reservida — additional helping
  • Spanish: rehenchimiento — additional helping
  • Spanish: refil — additional helping
  • Swedish: påtår — additional helping
  • Dutch: tankbeurt — refuelling
  • German: Tanken — refuelling
  • Bulgarian: резерва (rezerva) — product containing replacement materials
  • Finnish: täyttö- — product containing replacement materials
  • Finnish: vaihto- — product containing replacement materials
  • Greek: ανταλλακτικό (antallaktikó) — product containing replacement materials
  • Italian: ricarica — product containing replacement materials
  • Italian: cartuccia — product containing replacement materials
  • Polish: wkład — product containing replacement materials
  • Slovak: náhradná náplň — product containing replacement materials
  • Dutch: herhaalrecept — repeat prescription
  • German: Wiederholungsrezept — repeat prescription
  • Bulgarian: зареждам (zareždam) — to fill up again
  • Bulgarian: пълня отново (pǎlnja otnovo) — to fill up again
  • Catalan: reomplir — to fill up again
  • French: reremplir — to fill up again
  • German: nachfüllen — to fill up again
  • Irish: athlíon — to fill up again
  • Latin: repleō — to fill up again
  • Portuguese: reencher — to fill up again
  • Slovak: doplniť — to fill up again
  • Slovak: dopĺňať — to fill up again
  • Slovak: doliať — to fill up again
  • Slovak: dolievať — to fill up again
  • Slovak: znovu naplniť — to fill up again
  • Slovak: znovu napĺňať — to fill up again
  • Spanish: rellenar — to fill up again
  • Spanish: reservir — to fill up again
  • Spanish: rehenchir — to fill up again